Walking toy



' 16 147 June 21,1927. I A. L. WHITE-SIDE I 33,

WALKING TOY Filed Oct. 25. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY 1,633,147 June 21 1927 A. L. WHITESIDE v WALKING TOY Filed Oct. 25. 1 2 sheets-sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented June 21, 1927.

UNITED STATES ARTHUR L. WHITESIDE, OF BAYSHORE, NEW YORK.

WALKING TOY.

Application filed October 23, 1923. Serial no. 670,251.

This invention relates to walking toy figures, and my improvement is directed to a novel figure having independent pivotal limbs with tread surfaces angled to respectively serve as base supports in alternation during progressive motion of the figure, whether it be drawn forwardly, or caused to travel down an incline.

While not so limited, my present application is directed to a walking toy quadruped figure, differing therein from the example of a two-footed figure such as is illustrated in my earlier application for patent, Serial No. 600,282, filed November 11, 1922; and furthermore, my present application includes certain characteristic featuresnot found in said earlier application, and repre senting a further development in the art.

Thus, in addition to providing the figure with four legs, arranged in front and rear pairs, each leg having a foot or tread portion whose base represents the section of a cone, said base has a wedge shaped strip applied transversely thereto to accord it a terminal contour representing the section of a cylinder.

Further, whereas in my earlier application device the legs of the figure are weighted by having the greater massof their ma:

terial rearwardly of the pivot to cause them to hang with the heel portion in readiness to make surface contact, so that the figure may roll forwardly on the tread arc, I have found that the same effect can be produced by introducing a portion of relatively heavier material into the lower rear portion of the leg, thereby enabling the shape of the leg to be fashioned independently of it's endulous quality.

Still further, while the tread portions of the device in my earlier application are shown as composed of solid'materiahI find that by giving them a hollow or channellike shape, with travel edges inplace of a continuous bottom surface, certain structural advantages are achieved which serve to reduce the cost of production and provide for highly efficient rolling action uponsuch 10' concentric with the pivot (see Fi 4) just prior to reaching the position shown in Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 1, showing the position of the leg when the figure is swung over on its right side.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line l4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a modified form of tread portion.

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a leg provided with inserted weighting means and the added strip to give cylindrical contour to the toe portion, and

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

In said figures let 1 indicate the body of v a toy quadruped figure here arbitrarily shown to represent an elephant.

Said body, at its lower portion, is provided with the shafts 3, 4, that respectively extend transversely therethrough toward the front and rear thereof the ends of the shafts extendingbeyond the sides of the figure to serve as pivots for oscillable legs.

There is a pair of front legs 5, 6 and a pair of hind legs 7, 8, the legs of each pair corresponding in character. In the example of Figs. 1 and 2 the legs are represented as having the greater mass of their material located rearwardly of the pivot, so that when the legs are free to hang pendent, (see legs 6, 8) the heels of their arcuate tread portions will be adjacent the surface for engagement therewith when the center of gravity is shifted to impose the greater weight of the figure at that side thereof having said legs 6, 8.

The feet or tread portions of the legs have arcuate bases which in each instance extend almost wholly in front of the vertical plane through the pivot, transversely of the figure, when the leg is hanging plumb. But said surfaces represent a frusto-conical section 9 concentric with the pivot (see Fig. 3) except at the front ortoe portion, wherethe surface represents the segment of a cylinder The tread portions are relative y broad and extend laterally beneath the body 1, being parallel with and near the longitudinal central vertical plane through the body, so that when the fi re is erect, with its wei ht carried b the a jacent edges of the conoi a1 base sur aces, the equilibrium of the figure is easily disturbed. Thereforefin practice,

under forward motion, the figure sways from side to side, resting alternately upon the,

side enabling the figureto maintain its footing while tilted over thereon.

In the modified form of tread portion illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 it hasa hollow base 11, provided with the opposite side walls 12, 13, whereof the inner wall 12 is deeper than the outer wall 13, and the surface contacting edges of these walls, proceeding from the heel of the tread to a forward portion thereof, are arcuate, in concentric relation-to the pivotal axis of the leg. But the toe portion of wall- 13 is flattened out --at 14 so that its surface contacting edge is there transversely aligned with the surface ,contacting edge of wall 12, in order that the figure, in rolling upon these walls may rock. from a laterally tilted position to the true Vertical position, preparatory to assuming an opposite lateral slant as it comes to rest upon the treads at the other side of the figure. These hollow tread portions may obviously be composed of any desirable material and suitably included in the leg structure.

In Figs. 7 and 8 there will be seen the modification wherein a leg 15 is weighted as by the insertion of a plug 16 of relatively heavy material to balance the extended forward portion of the tread, thereby causing the heel portion to hang plumb from the pivot. Also there will be noted in these figures, the feature of the. tread base shaped throughout in conoidal form, this being desirable in fashioning the tread in material such as wood. With this form of tread, the

.desired cylindrical effect at the toe portion major inner arcs, from their heels to near V their toes, and are transversely cylindrical in concentric relation with their pivots at their toes.

2. A four-footed toy figure, comprising a body portion having two pairs of limbs pivotally connected at opposite sides thereof, the limbs on the same side having parallel tread portions, disposed near the central, longitudinal, vertical plane through the figure, whose base surfaces are respectively conoidal in concentric relation with their pivots, with major inner arcs, from their heels to near their toes, and are transversely cylindrical in concentric relation with their pivots-at their toes, said cylindrical surface conforming to the radius of the major arc.

Executed at New York, this 19th day of October, 1923.

ARTHUR L. VVHYITESIDE. 

